BURNING OUT LAMPAS.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1134, 4 January 1884, Page 2

BURNING OUT LAMPAS.

At the last monthly meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Secretary read a letter which he had received from Mr S. Slesinger, veterinary surgeon, who is at present in Victoria. Mr Slesinger enclosed a clipping from the Argus, supporting his opinion expressed to the Society at its formation as to the great cruelty involved in the practice of burning the disease called lampas out of horses’ mouths. The extract is an opinion expressed by the Veterinary Medical Association of Victoria, and is to the following effect : —“ That it is the opinion of this meeting that 1 lampas ’ is merely a congested state of the palate and gums due to -teething, which is often aggravated by hard, dry, and unsuitable food when the horse is stable kept. That lampas is only found in young horses, and the only treatment necessary is to scarify

or puncture the parts to relieve the congested vessels and the application of a little common salt or alnm, and that a frw bran mashes and mild dose of laxative medicine will often give the necessary relief. That the apparent relief sometimes supposed to arise from burning out a portion of the sensitive palate is due to the animal being unable to eat for some time on account of the soreness, consequently he gets hungry, and there is no wonder that he eats better when the pain leaves him. That in aged horses a condition stimulating lampas is sometimes Wet'wifKph'hT'llifs in most cases is duo to a disordered state of the digestive organs, (he treatment for which consists in laxative medicine and cooling diet.. That the consequences of burning ont a portion of the palate arc ; 1 It causes unnecessary pain, and is therefore crnel. 2 It destroys the highly sensitive structures by means of which the animal discriminates the character of its food. 3 It causes a cavity, which becomes the receptacle for particles of food, winch decompose, causing ulceration of the parts and an offensive smell. 4 It contracts the gums, and makes the horse look older than he is, and consequently reduces his value. slt limits the power of prehension by means of which the animal gathers ita food for mastication. It is, therefore, the opjnipn of this meeting that the practice is unnecessary, cruel and unjustifiable, and that both the owner of the horse and perpetrator of the offence should be made punishable by law.” Mr Slesinger adds the following: “ I have the honour to add to their five objections (to all of which-1 agree) two more—viz: (I) The horse cannot distinguish the taste of his food, and wil therefore cat any poisonous food. (2) The horse’s month becomes hard to the bit, and he is therefore not so pleasant or manageable to ride or drive, especially for ladies.” *